Suffolk County Officer Injured In Head-On Crash With Stolen Car In West Babylon, Police Say

WEST BABYLON, N.Y. (WCBS 880) -- A Suffolk County police officer was injured Tuesday in a head-on crash with the driver of a vehicle that was allegedly stolen.

The crash happened on Straight Path in West Babylon, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said at a news conference.

The car had been stolen from a convenience store, and Suffolk County police 1st Precinct patrol officers spotted the car going at an “imprudent speed,” Suffolk County police Commissioner Stuart Cameron said.

A sergeant made it clear that a pursuit was warranted, and multiple officers headed to the scene to help, Cameron said.

The driver of the stolen vehicle lost control and struck one of the squad cars head-on, Cameron said. The squad car that the stolen vehicle driver struck was not part of an active chase at that point, but was aware that the vehicle was stolen, according to Bellone.

The officer in the squad car ended up trapped inside and had to be extricated, Cameron said.

Weather conditions made it impossible for a medevac helicopter to respond to the scene, so the officer was taken by ground transportation to Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow where he was being treated for several broken bones, Cameron said.

The driver of the stolen vehicle also suffered minor injuries and was under arrest Tuesday afternoon, Cameron said.

The incident happened as a nor’easter slammed the area – hitting Suffolk County particularly hard. Up to a foot of snow fell in some areas, particularly on the East End.

A pedestrian was also struck by a snow plow in the Suffolk County police 3rd Precinct Tuesday, and suffered injuries that were not described as serious, Cameron said.